Animal pill magnet

ABSTRACT

An animal pill magnet having a casing, core pieces, and at least one magnet. The casing comprises a first capsule half and a second capsule half that are joined together with a single joint to enclose the core pieces and at least one magnet.

This application claims benefit of Provisional Appl. 60/091,780 filedJul. 6, 1998.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to Animal Pill type magnets for collectionof iron bearing debris in the stomach of animals.

2. History of the Related Art

The prior art teaches the use of magnets for collecting debris in ananimal's stomach. An example of this prior art is U.S. Pat. No.5,663,701, titled Stomach Debris Collection Magnet, issued to Kaura onSep. 2, 1997, which is incorporated in its entirety herein by referencethereto. As taught by Kaura, it is preferable to incase the magneticdevice so that gastric juices in the stomach of the animal will notcause corrosion of the device. However, the encasement of the magneticdevice can influence the operation of the magnetic field on iron bearingobjects ingested by the animal. Therefore, there is a need for an animalpill magnet with an improved casement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, the present invention comprises an animal pill magnethaving a casing, a first and a second core end piece, a first and asecond magnet, and a central center core. The casing includes a firstcapsule half having a first capsule chamber with a first capsule openend and a first capsule hollow bottom, a second capsule half having asecond capsule chamber with a second capsule open end and a secondcapsule hollow bottom, where the first capsule open end is securedadjacent to the second capsule open end to form a single joint. Thefirst core end piece has a first core end piece first surface and afirst core end piece second surface, where the first core end piecefirst surface is disposed adjacent to the first capsule hollow bottom.The second core end piece has a second core end piece first surface anda second core end piece second surface, where the second core end piecefirst surface is disposed adjacent to the second capsule hollow bottom.The first magnet has a first magnet first surface and a first magnetsecond surface, where the first magnet first surface is disposedadjacent to the first core end piece second surface. The second magnethas a second magnet first surface and a second magnet second surface,where the second magnet first surface is disposed adjacent to the secondcore end piece second surface. The center core has a center core firstsurface and a center core second surface, where the center core firstsurface is adjacent to the first magnet second surface and the centercore second surface is adjacent to the second magnet second surface.

In another embodiment, the present invention comprises an animal pillmagnet having a casing, a first and a second pole piece, and a magnet.The casing includes a first capsule half having a first capsule chamberwith a first capsule open end and a first capsule hollow bottom, asecond capsule half having a second capsule chamber with a secondcapsule open end and a second capsule hollow bottom, where the firstcapsule open end is secured adjacent to the second capsule open end. Thefirst pole piece has a first pole piece first surface and a first polepiece second surface, where the first pole piece first surface isdisposed adjacent to the first capsule hollow bottom. The second polepiece has a second pole piece first surface and a second pole piecesecond surface, where the second pole piece first surface is disposedadjacent to the second capsule hollow bottom. The magnet has a magnetfirst surface and a magnet second surface, where the magnet firstsurface is disposed adjacent to the first pole piece second surface andthe magnet second surface is disposed adjacent to the second pole piecesecond surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objectives and features of the invention will becomemore apparent from the following description and claims taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention illustrated as ananimal pill magnet;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the animal pillmagnet in FIG. 1, taken about the section lines A--A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view of the version ofthe animal pill magnet in FIG. 2, taken about the sectional lines 3--3;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view of the version ofthe animal pill magnet in FIG. 2, taken about section lines 4--4;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the animal pillmagnet in FIG. 1, taken about the section lines A--A;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view of the embodiment ofthe animal pill magnet in FIG. 5, taken about the section lines 6--6;

FIG. 7 is a chart showing the magnetic energy over the lateral distanceof the animal pill magnet illustrated in the embodiment in FIGS. 2-4;and

FIG. 8 is a chart showing the magnetic energy over the lateral distanceof the animal pill magnet illustrated in the embodiment in FIGS. 5-6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly, to FIG. 1, thereis shown an embodiment of the present invention illustrated as theanimal pill magnet 10. As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the animal pill magnet 10generally includes a casing 100, first and second core end pieces 200aand 200b, first and second magnets 300a and 300b, and a center core 400.

The casing 100 comprises a first capsule half 110a and a second capsulehalf 110b. The first capsule half 110a and the respective second capsulehalf 110b have cylindrical bodies 112a and 112b, which have open firstends 111a and 111b and which are closed at the second end with concaveor hollow bottoms 113a and 113b. In one embodiment, the first capsulehalf 110a and the second capsule half 110b are formed of 316 stainlesssteel. The thickness of the first capsule half 110a and the secondcapsule half 110b is selected to maximize the magnetic field radiatingoutside the animal pill magnet 10 without causing a risk that the casing100 will rupture or leak and expose the material inside.

The core end pieces 200a and 200b have end piece first surfaces 210a and210b, and end piece second surfaces 220a and 220b. In one embodiment,the core end pieces 200a and 200b are formed of a mild steel. The coreend pieces 200a and 200b are disposed within the capsule halves 110a and110b, respectively, with the end piece first surfaces 210a and 210badjacent to the hollow bottoms 113a and 113b, respectively. In apreferred embodiment, the end piece first surfaces 210a and 210b are aconvex surface that match the concave surface of the hollow bottoms 113aand 113b of the capsule halves 110a and 111b.

The magnets 300a and 300b have magnet first surfaces 310a 310b, andmagnet second surfaces 320a and 320b. In one preferred embodiment, themagnets 300a and 300b are NdFeB magnets. The magnets 300a and 300b aredisposed within the cylindrical bodies 112a and 112b, respectively, ofthe capsule halves 110a and 110b with the magnet first surfaces 310a and310b adjacent to the second end surfaces 220a and 220b, respectively, ofthe core end pieces 200a and 200b. In a preferred embodiment, the magnetfirst surfaces 310a and 310b match and flushly engage the second endsurfaces 220a and 220b, respectively, of the core end pieces 200a and200b.

The center core 400 has a center core first surface 410 and a centercore second surface 420. In one preferred embodiment, the center core400 is formed of a mild steel. The open ends 111a and 111b of the firstcapsule end 110a and the second capsule end 110b, respectively, aresecured adjacent to each other to enclose the center core 400 within thecylindrical bodies 112a and 112b. Within the cylindrical bodies 112a and112b, the center core first surface 410 is positioned adjacent to thesecond surface 320a of the first magnet 300a, and the center core secondsurface 420 is positioned adjacent to the second surface 320b of thesecond magnet 300b. In a preferred embodiment, the center core firstsurface 410 matches and flushly engages the second surface 320a of thefirst magnet 300a, and the second center core surface 420 matches andflushly engages the second surface 320b of the second magnet 300b.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown another embodiment of theanimal pill magnet 10 from FIG. 1. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5and 6, the first and second core end pieces 200a and 200b, the first andsecond magnets 300a and 300b, and the center core 400 (all shown in FIG.2) are replaced by a first and second pole piece 600a and 600b and amagnet 700 (as shown in FIG. 5).

The pole pieces 600a and 600b have pole piece first surfaces 610a and610b, and pole piece second surfaces 620a and 620b. In one embodiment,the pole pieces 600a and 600b are formed of a mild steel. The polepieces 600a and 600b are disposed within the capsule halves 110a and110b, respectively, with the pole piece first surfaces 610a and 610badjacent to the hollow bottoms 113a and 113b of the capsule halves 110aand 110b. In a preferred embodiment, the pole piece first surfaces 610aand 610b are a convex surface that matches the concave surfaces of thehollow bottoms 113a and 113b, respectively, of the capsule halves 110aand 110b.

The center magnet 700 has a center magnet first surface 710 and a centermagnet second surface 720. In a preferred embodiment, the center magnet700 is a NdFeB magnet. The center magnet 700 is disposed within thecylindrical bodies 112a and 112b of the capsule halves 110a and 110b,with center magnet first surface 710 adjacent to the second surface 620aof the first pole piece 600, and the center magnet second surface 720adjacent to the pole piece second surface 620b of the second pole piece600b. In one embodiment, the magnet first surface 710 matches andflushly engages the pole piece second surface 620a of the first polepiece 600a, and the center magnet second surface 720 matches and flushlyengages the pole piece second surface 620b of the second pole piece600b.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-6, the open end 111a of the first capsule half110a is secured adjacent to open end 111b of the second capsule half110b by an adhesive. The adhesive securing the first capsule half 110ato the second capsule half 110b is uniformly applied on the insidesurface of the capsule halves 110a and 110b for securing the animal pillmagnet 10 as a unitary whole.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown a chart of the magnetic energy(in Kilo Gauss), of the embodiment of the animal pill magnet 10illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, over the lateral distance of the animal pillmagnet 10. As shown in FIG. 7, the animal pill magnet 10 has two annularzones of relatively high magnetic strength separated by a dead zone ofsignificant length. A distribution of magnetic flux such as shown inFIG. 7, has the attribute of initially collecting debris in the highzones, and then collecting debris in the dead zone to form a ball thatefficiently holds together the debris.

Referring now to FIG. 8, there is shown a chart of the magnetic energy(in Kilo Gauss), of the embodiment of the animal pill magnet 10illustrated in FIGS. 5-6, over the lateral distance of the animal pillmagnet 10. The magnetic energy distribution in FIG. 8 has less fluxleakage as compared to magnetic energy distributions for other animalpill magnets (see e.g. FIG. 7), and therefore the animal pill magnetillustrated in FIGS. 5-6 will have a greater reach. The greater reach ofthe design of the animal pill magnet 10 illustrated in FIGS. 5-6 willallow the animal pill magnet 10 to pull iron debris from a greaterdistance.

The present invention has many advantages over the prior art. The numberof joints are reduced from two or more in the prior art, down to asingle joint. The single joint reduces the chances of the casing willopen up after ingestion by an animal or that gastric fluids will enterthe assembly of the animal pill magnet 10 and produces deleteriouseffects. The rounded ends of the capsule housing 112a and 112b encasingthe rounded ends of the core/pole pieces are lighter in weight than themore massive separate end caps of the prior pill magnets, exemplified bythe Kaura patent structure. The structure of the pill magnets of thepresent invention reduces the weight of the animal pill magnet 10 overthe prior art structure. The reduced weight is healthier for the animaland allows the animal pill magnet to more easily pass the dairyman'stest. The dairyman's test consists of placing one animal pill magnet ontop of a non-magnet table, (e.g. wooden) approximately one inch inthickness, and a second animal pill magnet underneath the table. If themagnets hold each other in place so that the lower magnet does not fall,the animal pill magnet passes the dairyman's test.

It is thus believed that the operation and construction of the presentinvention will be apparent from the foregoing description of a preferredembodiment. While the device and method shown are described as beingpreferred, it will be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the artthat various changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in thefollowing claims. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claimsshould not be limited to the description of the preferred embodimentscontained herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. An animal pill magnet, comprising:a casingincluding:a first capsule half having a first capsule chamber with afirst capsule open end and a first capsule hollow bottom; a secondcapsule half having a second capsule chamber with a second capsule openend and a second capsule hollow bottom; and wherein the first capsuleopen end is secured adjacent to the second capsule open end; a firstcore end piece having a first core end piece first surface and a firstcore end piece second surface, the first core end piece first surfacebeing disposed adjacent to the first capsule hollow bottom; a secondcore end piece having a second core end piece first surface and a secondcore end piece second surface, the second core end piece first surfacebeing disposed adjacent to the second capsule hollow bottom; a firstmagnet having a first magnet first surface and a first magnet secondsurface, the first magnet first surface being disposed adjacent to thefirst core end piece second surface; a second magnet having a secondmagnet first surface and a second magnet second surface, the secondmagnet first surface being disposed adjacent to the second core endpiece second surface; and a center core having a center core firstsurface and a center core second surface, the center core first surfacebeing adjacent to the first magnet second surface and the center coresecond surface being adjacent to the second magnet second surface. 2.The animal pill magnet of claim 1 wherein said first capsule half andsaid second capsule half are formed of 316 stainless steel.
 3. Theanimal pill magnet of claim 1 wherein said first core end piece and saidsecond core end piece are formed of a mild steel.
 4. The animal pillmagnet of claim 1 wherein said center core is formed of a mild steel. 5.The animal pill magnet of claim 1 wherein said first magnet and saidsecond magnet are formed of NdFeB.
 6. The animal pill magnet of claim 1wherein said first capsule hollow bottom and said second capsule hollowbottom are concave in shape, and wherein further said first surfaces ofsaid first end piece and said second end piece are convex in shape. 7.The animal pill magnet of claim 1 wherein said first capsule open end issecured adjacent to said second capsule open end by an adhesive.
 8. Theanimal pill magnet of claim 1 wherein said animal pill magnet has twoannular zones of relatively high magnetic strength separated by a deadzone of relatively low magnetic strength.
 9. An animal pill magnet,comprising:a casing including:a first capsule half having a firstcapsule chamber with a first capsule open end and a first capsule hollowbottom; a second capsule half having a second capsule chamber with asecond capsule open end and a second capsule hollow bottom; and whereinthe first capsule open end is secured adjacent to the second capsuleopen end a first pole piece having a first pole piece first surface anda first pole piece second surface, the first pole piece first surfacebeing disposed adjacent to the first capsule hollow bottom; and a secondpole piece having a second pole piece first surface and a second polepiece second surface, the second pole piece first surface being disposedadjacent to the second capsule hollow bottom; and a magnet having amagnet first surface and a magnet second surface, the magnet firstsurface being disposed adjacent to the first pole piece second surfaceand the magnet second surface being disposed adjacent to the second polepiece second surface.
 10. The animal pill magnet of claim 9 wherein saidfirst capsule half and said second capsule half are formed of 316stainless steel.
 11. The animal pill magnet of claim 9 wherein saidfirst pole piece and said second pole piece are formed of a mild steel.12. The animal pill magnet of claim 9 wherein said magnet is formed ofNdFeB.
 13. The animal pill magnet of claim 9 wherein said first capsulehollow bottom and said second capsule hollow bottom are concave inshape, and wherein further said first surfaces of said first pole pieceand said second pole piece are convex in shape.
 14. The animal pillmagnet of claim 9 wherein said first capsule open end is securedadjacent to said second capsule open end by an adhesive.
 15. The animalpill magnet of claim 9 wherein said animal pill magnet has reduced fluxleakage.